NHL DRAFT 2001 Fedor Tyutin Draft Manual

By Eugene Belashchenko

June 23rd, 2001

Talent Analysis:

At 6’2 and 196 pounds Fedor Tyutin definitely has the size to compete in the NHL. Tyutin is also a good skater and is a solid puck handler. A critical aspect of Tyutin’s package that makes him very attractive is that he is more of a sure thing than some other players as he has already been battle tested on a very high level. Tyutin’s natural hockey sense has been developed further during the 2000-01 season while he played full time with SKA St. Petersburg in the Super League. While playing for SKA Fedor was an aggressive and physical presence against players years older and more experienced then him. Tytuin’s mental game is also very tough. He is a very determined player with a solid work ethic, never taking shifts off. After winning the gold medal at the Under 18 World Junior Championships, Russia’s captain and Fedor Tyutin’s defensive partner Igor Knyazev said this about Fedor:

“On the pair with me played Fedor Tyutin. I felt very comfortable with him. I knew that my partner would back me up and I could confidently press forward. He is a very responsible guy, which, in any case can be said about each player. All displayed the strength of will, bravery in the deciding moment. But still, when talking about Tyutin I want to especially not his feeling of responsibility.”

Here is what an observer at the 2001 U18 WJC had to say about Fedor:

“Tyutin is a really SMART player. I respect players – especially defencemans – who canthink, and in my mind Tyutin understands very well what to do, when and why (hockeysense!!!). No stupid penalties, no machobulls**t, he just does his job well and that’s it!”

Despite reports that Tyutin’s offensive skills are low, he has a solid shot and very good passing ability. At the 2001 U18 WJC he spent a lot of time on the Russian power play unit. According to that same observer from the 2001 U18 WJC, at the tournament Fedor seemed to have even more offensive potential then his defensive partner Igor Knyazev because of how well he skated, though he was not as aggressive as his partner.

Back In Russia:

Fedor Tyutin was born in the city of Izhevsk, several thousand miles East of Moscow and fairly close to Kazan. There he joined the Izhstal’s hockey program in 1990. There he played until 1997 and then was invited to play in the Metallurg Magnitogorsk system. In 1998 Fedor earner third place with Metallurg’s junior team and received very positive marks from the coaching staff. After the 1998-99 season Fedor returned to Izhevsk where he played for the junior Izhstal-2 squad until the team’s coach Levashin promoted him to the main team in the Upper League towards the end of the season. During the 2000 off season Fedor received an invitation from SKA St. Petersburg and earned a spot on the team. During the course of the season he proceeded to solidify his position amongst the team’s top two defensive pairings. Logging heavy minutes he played 24 games for SKA during the regular season. When SKA was facing elimination in the Relegation Tournament, the team replaced more then half of their lineup, but Tyutin not only stayed in the lineup but remained one of its best defenders. During the 10 critical games of the Relegation Tournament, Tyuting matched his scoring 3 points (1+2) of the regular season.

International Competition:

Fedor joined the Russian Under 18 and 1983 squads during the 2000-01 season. His best performance on the International Arena came during the 2001 Under 18 World Junior Championships where he was on the top defensive pairing with Igor Knyazev and registered 5 points (1+4) and a very impressive +14 +/- rating in 6 games. The team’s head coach, Vladimir Plyuschev was very impressed with the defenseman and as the coach has been promoted to coach the Under 20 team, it is very likely that Fedor’s international career is far from over.

NHL:

Fedor is ranked 16th among European skaters by the CSB, and he will likely go late in the first round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. Fedor would be a great addition to any team that seeks to shore up their defense with a solid defenseman. If Fedor can develop his offensive potential and add that to the list of his tools, he will be a very versatile two-way player. The great thing about this prospect is that he could have an immediate impact in the NHL this coming year. He is wise and experienced beyond his age and has already been playing against adults much older than him for the last two years.